FIGURE 10.

Exosomes secreted by microglia during TMEV infection in mice activate an inflammatory response in naïve mice. Exosomes were isolated from the brains of TMEV-infected mice at 2 days post-infection or from naïve mice (three mice per group). The exosomes were sorted for CD11b⁺ exosomes, and the CD11b⁺ exosomes were injected into the brain of naïve mice. At 2 days post-injection, the brains were removed from the mice (three mice per group), and RNA was isolated, converted to cDNA and used in real time PCR with primers for TMEV (A), IFNα (B), IFNβ (C), IL-6 (D), IL-12 (E), and TNFα (F). As comparison, the brains were removed from naïve mice or mice at 2 days post-TMEV infection, and RNA was isolated, converted to cDNA and used in real time PCR. Significant difference was determined by the one way ANOVA and Bonferroni’s multiple comparison test (*p < 0.001) based on the naïve mouse brain.